It's March, Almost April!

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. I guess I've only posted twice this whole year. I've really enjoyed the break and haven't missed blogging at all. Between work, school, and the insanity of life lately, all I want to do is sleep in the evenings and so blogging and writing haven't been at the forefront of my brain. However, this week I was thinking that I probably should do some writing because I've got a lot going on and I'd hate to look back on 2016 and wonder what I did that year and then not have a record of any of it. So, I'll try to do better about posting because I've actually got some exciting things going on right now. 

I'll start with what I've been up to for the first few months of this year. I won't go into a play by play detail because we would be here all day, but I can probably sum it up so you'll get the gist of what's been going on around these parts. 

In February I celebrated my 39th birthday which I wrote a little about. In addition to the things I wrote about in my birthday post, I also went out to dinner with various groups of friends and family and to a local songwriter's showcase with another set of friends. It was a great month and the celebrations lasted about three weeks which is as it should be. At the end of February I went to the Alabama-Auburn basketball game with friends and we enjoyed a super fun day in Tuscaloosa. The month of February ended with a trip to the Donald Trump political rally with my cousins Lauren and Jon Mark. I went because I thought it would be an interesting day of people watching and you never know what is going to come out of Trump's mouth. We had a good time and left before it was over so we could beat the traffic and we got bored. 

The first day of March was voting day in Alabama and I fulfilled my duty as inspector of my precinct. It was a long, long day and I was exhausted after spending 14 hours at the polls and working my fingers to the bone (as they say). I had a whole new crew working with me that day but they all did great. I had to chase off one news reporter and one campaigner and dealt with so many different bizarre scenarios I couldn't even begin to tell you all about them. As always, it was a rewarding day and I look forward to doing it two more times this year when we have the municipal elections and the general election. 

The first weekend of March I chaperoned a high school spring retreat for church and it was just as I suspected with terrible food and think bunk bed mattresses; but, overall it was a good weekend. I developed a cough the Saturday I was on the retreat and by the time Monday rolled around I had a fever and felt like I had been hit by a freight train. I went to the doctor and had an ear infection and they sent me home with an antibiotic, but I felt like it was something more. On Wednesday when I was still running a fever and not feeling any better, I ventured back to the doctor and had a flu test which came back positive. It was too late for any medications so I had to ride it out. I spent the whole week in bed and missed work every day. It was miserable. That same week my mom was in the hospital with fluid on her lungs and two broken ankles from falling out of her wheelchair. Sometimes we just can't catch a break. 

The Saturday after I had the flu I moved out of my house which is probably news to some of you and not to the rest. After a whirlwind idea during Christmas break that I drew out on a piece of paper which turned into a set of blueprints, I am adding on to my little house and doing some renovations to the inside. I will be adding on about 600 square feet of living space and another 200 of a covered patio with an outdoor fireplace. The living space includes a dining room and an expansion of the back bedroom with built in bookcases and a walk-in closet which will also hold the washer and dryer. On the inside I am tearing down a wall between the kitchen and the room on the back of the house and making that one large kitchen complete with new cabinets and granite counter tops and a second oven which makes my heart so happy. The floor and sub floor in the back bedroom and the den will be torn out because the floors are rotting in both of those rooms. Every room will get a new coat of paint and the entire house will have new hardwood flooring. I'll also have some landscaping done which will include sod in the front yard and crepe myrtles along the back fence. The project is supposed to take three months (I'm counting on four because I know how these things go) and I'm very excited about the outcome. I think it is going to be gorgeous and I can't wait to see the end result of my Christmas break brainstorm. 

As a result of having all the work done, Pippa and I had to vacate the premises. Originally the builder said there would be no electricity for two months, but now that might not be the case. Still, it's probably better that we are not there. So, on Saturday, March 12, some friends and cousins and I moved everything out of the house and into a POD which is being stored in South Huntsville. I moved in with my cousins Benny and Jan which has been great. It is a little weird to come home to real people when you haven't lived with anyone for 10 years, but so far things are going great. Pippa was living with a friend of my brother's for a little while, but it wasn't working out. Thankfully, I found her a great place to stay over the weekend. I found a dog sitter who lives on the Flint River out in north east Huntsville and Pippa moved in there this week. The lady and her husband are so nice and worked with me on a price I could afford. They send pictures and updates in the mornings and are even letting The Pip sleep with them. I will probably pick her up on Saturdays and let her hang out with me while I go work at the house because I don't want her to forget who I am. I think she is going to do really well at this temporary home and I just feel so great about finding these wonderful people. 

So, that's what's been going on this year. It's been insanely busy and crazy, but, really, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

'Twas the 39th Anniversary of My Birth

It was my 39th anniversary this past Monday. I'm now walking in the 40th year of my life and I'm here to tell you, that seems a little weird. 

This year's birthday was much, much better than last year's disaster - thank goodness! I kicked off the birthday weekend by welcoming my new furniture into my home. Santa and Mrs. Claus put some money towards new furniture for me for Christmas and it finally came in the week before my birthday and was delivered on Saturday January 30. It looks so great. I just love it! I got a new couch and a chair and ottoman. The couch is grey and the chair and ottoman are off white with grey polka dots. I also bought some coverings to keep on them when it's just me and Pip at home. That way we can (hopefully) keep things clean. Pip has done really well with the furniture so far. The decorative pillows that came with the furniture are sitting in another chair and thankfully Pip hasn't eaten any of them. I did take the couch cushions away from her during the day because the way she lays on them to look out the window causes the shape to warp and it's hard to fluff them back into place. So, she is cushion-less during the day which is probably for the best. 

The day before my birthday, my dad and I headed up to Nashville. We left about 12:30 and made the journey north. We had bought tickets for the NHL All-Star game which was held at Bridgestone Arena. I grew up loving hockey and my dad is a fan as well, although he doesn't follow it as closely as I do. When I found out the All-Star game was going to be in Nashville the day before my birthday, I made it a point to start watching tickets like a hawk. It became sort of an obsession and I was checking prices about every 30 minutes; but, it paid off because I bought tickets in a pretty great location one week before the game and the next day the prices started rising again. So, I think it worked out perfectly. 

We had the best time at the game. We've had a lot of good times and seen a lot of amazing things, but this game might have been one of the funnest and most exciting things we have ever done for ourselves. We cheered and jeered and laughed and watched people and just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I am so glad we went! We ate at Outback in Nashville before heading home and arrived back in Huntsville around 11:00 p.m.

The actual day of my birthday was also a good day. I took the day off work which I have never done on my birthday. I went to Jones Valley Elementary to have a make-up day with my lunch buddy (our last day had been cancelled because of snow) and then I went and ate lunch with my parents, grandparents and sweet Ada. We went to Red Lobster which is my birthday spot. I have eaten their for years on my birthday and decided not to brake with tradition this year. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and then most everyone came back to my house to see the new furniture and give me a few gifts. Most of the gifts had to be returned because I had already bought them for myself and my mom and dad didn't communicate on the gift giving front, My dad had already ordered a pair of boots I wanted. Communication is key my friends! 

That evening I went to Ladies' Bible study and celebrated again with my friend Amberly who shares a birthday with me. Her mom hosted Bible study that night and we had a delicious meal. While at study, we received news that my dear friend Leah gave birth to her first child, a daughter, Juniper Willoughby. I think it goes without saying that the weekend of the 39th anniversary of my birth was indeed a great one. 

A Night Out in Nashville

Well, I never found the post I lost. That is seriously one of life's great mysteries. So, I'll try to recreate it as best I can. 

So, earlier this year when I wrote this post, I mentioned it was the last concert of 2015, but apparently I was a liar because as luck would have it, the concert gods had one more show in store for me. the Sunday after the Foo Fighters show, I was having dinner with my cousins and some friends of ours (Russell and Cindy) were over as well. Lauren and I were telling Russell about our Foo Fighter's experience and somehow it triggered him to tell us all about Tab Benoit and what a great show he puts on. Tab is from Louisiana and sings a Cajun/Zydeco type of music and Russell was pretty fired up when he was talking about the show he had been to. The next thing I knew, Russell was looking up the dates for upcoming shows and then we were all buying tickets. 

The show was last Tuesday and there ended up being 13 of us who went up to see it. The show was held at City Winery in downtown Nashville which is a very nice venue. I had never heard of it before buying my ticket to the show and was very impressed with the place. I rode up with my cousins Jan, Benny, Anna and Randy and because of rush hour and a couple of accidents, we arrived a little after 6:30. The seats are such that you are actually seated at a table and you can dine before the show, which is why we arrived early. I think everyone was happy with the meals they ordered. I had the steak which came with a cauliflower and mushroom puree and asparagus, all of which was delicious.  

The opening act, who's name I cannot remember to save my life, came on stage about 7:30 and played for 45 minutes or so. He was actually quite good and I enjoyed listening to him. Tab took the stage around 9:00 p.m. and seriously, the folks in the crowd went a little nuts. It was rather humorous. Tab can play the guitar like nobody's business and doesn't have a bad voice to boot. That particular night was hi birthday and I'm here to tell you the man was three sheets to the wind (or drunk for those of you who are not familiar with the expression). He ended up doing a whole lot more talking than singing and playing which basically amounted to us getting a stand-up show in conjunction with the concert. I couldn't tell you the last time I laughed that hard. I don't know if he always talks that much, but he sure talked that night and it was hilarious. 

The stand-up show/concert ended around 11:00 p.m. at which point we discovered that one of the couples who came with us paid for everyone's meals, which was an incredibly nice gesture and took everyone by surprise. We collected the truck from valet parking and then headed back south. Most of us stayed awake for about 45 minutes of the drive before nodding off to sleep. Big thanks to my cousin Benny for driving all us sleepyheads home through the night. It was a very fun night and a great way to end the 2015 concert season! 

Galaxy of Lights

It's hard to believe it, but Thanksgiving is next week and Christmas is just around the corner. I've finally managed to knock a dent in my Christmas list. Thank goodness.

Typically, I don't do anything Christmas related until after Thanksgiving, but this past Sunday night I made an exception. My cousins and I and a couple of friends went to the Galaxy of Lights at the Botanical Garden for one of the walking nights. Every year I say I'm going to go on a walking night and never end up making it. They have a couple of nights were dogs are welcome - maybe one year I'll be brave and take Pippa to enjoy the holiday spirit. I've participated in the Fun Run the last couple of years and have enjoyed it so much. Walking the Galaxy of Lights is so much better than driving. You definitely get a better perspective and are able to take it all in so much more I think.

The gates opened at 5:30 p.m. and I think we all got there around 6:00 or 6:15. Since I'm a member, I got a ticket for a free hot chocolate and a cookie, but I gave it to my cousin Anna because she had mentioned hoping there was some hot chocolate and she's pregnant. So, we'll be treating her with special care for the next few months, starting with hot chocolate.

We had a great time walking, talking about baby names from A to Z and other things and just enjoying each other's company. The night was cold, but not freezing and so it was perfect for a night walk to enjoy the lights and sounds of the season.

I'll be doing the Fun Run again this year on December 1, but there are a few more walking nights before then. This Friday, November 20 thru Monday, November 23 are the last walking nights. November 23 is a dog night so if you're not a dog fan, I wouldn't recommend going that night. After these last few walking nights, the driving nights start.

Galaxy of Lights is so fun and festive and has become one of my favorite activities of the Christmas season. Check it out if you have a chance!

The Color Run Huntsville 2015

This past Saturday was The Color Run Huntsville. It was the second year in a row that The Color Run took place in our city and this year it was more colorful than ever! 

A few months ago I received an advance sign-up email for the run and set up a team (because the price was a little less if you signed up on a team) for me and my cousins. Four of us signed up - me, Jan, Lauren, and Anna. Friday afternoon on the way home from work, I stopped by Kohl's to pick up our race packets. The process went a lot smoother this year than last. Last year there was a bit of a wait to get up to where you checked in and this time, they had plenty of people to get you checked in and on your way. The whole process took about 15 minutes and I picked up four packets. 

This year's race started at 8:00 a.m. which was an hour earlier than last year and perfectly okay with me as I had a lot to get to on Saturday. Jan, Lauren and Anna all ran down to the race start while I drove because admittedly, I'm lazy and they are training for yet another half marathon. Some people like running, I like strolling. I was in line to pay the Boy Scouts $5 to park when I noticed an unoccupied lot up ahead (well, it had one car) and a couple walking from that direction.  I decided to save my $5 and park in that lot and many other people followed suit because by the time I got back to the car later that morning, the lot was full. 

I walked over to the start which was a different and much more convenient location than last year and quickly found my trio of cousins. We headed over to the start line and not long after we were on our way. Jan and Lauren were content to enjoy the festivities and walk and have fun. Anna had to be talked into walking with us as she's the more hard core runner of the three. So, we walked and talked and enjoyed getting splashed with orange, yellow, pink and blue along the course. 

It took us an hour or so to walk the three miles and when we crossed the finish line, we were splashed with silver metallic powder and then handed a gold medal and a color and metallic color packet. We made our way over to the stage where there was an emcee and a DJ and at that precise moment, a dance off. Lots of additional color packets were thrown into the crowd and soon everyone was tossing color powder into the air and jumping up and down and acting a fool - including us! The air was so thick with colored powdered you could hardly breathe. Lauren had to abandon the chaos because she got hit in the eye with some color. For all I know I could have been the one that doused her, but hopefully not. By the time that fun was over we had color from head to toe. 

There was a tent set up (sponsored by Shout) to blow the excess powder off and we walked through that because we did, in fact, have a lot of excess powder. The girls decided to ride back in the car and I brought some sheets with me in case they decided to do just that. We spread the sheet across the back seat of the car and we were soon on our way. I dropped Lauren and Jan off at Lauren's and then Anna and then pulled up to my house where I promptly changed clothes so that I could sit down and eat some breakfast without getting colored powder everywhere. 

It was a fun morning with fun people and I look forward to doing it again next year! 

Slide The City 2015

If you live in Huntsville then you probably heard that this past weekend an event took place called Slide the City. Slide the City is basically a giant slip and slide that is set up on a street in the middle of your city. They go to different cities and this year they came to Huntsville. I was rather excited when I saw that Slide the City was coming to Huntsville and bought my ticket back in June before the prices started going up. I knew I would want to slide more than one time, but not all day; so, I bought a triple slider pass for $25.

Finally, the day arrived and this past Saturday my cousins Anna and Lauren and I headed downtown. I was the only one who was going to slide. Anna and Lauren were there for moral support and to hold on to my personal belongings. (Thanks, y'all!) The slide opened at 11:00 a.m. for VIPs and at noon for those of us who did not buy a VIP package. We arrived downtown a little after noon and I found the end of the line to begin my journey to the top of the slide. After about an hour and a half in line, it was finally time to slide. I went down the right hand side because Anna and Lauren were standing on that side and they wanted to get pictures. Unfortunately, there wasn't as much water going down the right hand slide and so I kept getting stuck. They had volunteers along the way to help push people along who got stuck. So, it was fun, but not as wonderful as I had pictured in my head. In fact, I didn't even make it to the end and was laughing so hard, I just gave up and got off the slide. 

Anna asked if I was going again to which I replied, "no." I was not keen on standing in line for an hour and a half two more times and Anna had ridden with me so I didn't want to keep her from being able to go home; so, the three of us left. Lauren suggested I keep my wristband on and come back later in the day when the Bama game was on and that maybe the crowd would be smaller or even try and come back on Sunday. When I got home, I watched the end of the Auburn game and when it was over, I drive back downtown to see if the lines were any shorter - they were not. So, I decided to just go home, shower and call it a day as far as slipping and sliding down Huntsville streets was concerned. 

Sunday after church I went to the grocery store and then home to eat lunch and when I was checking Twitter, I saw that there was a mention that the lines were short for Slide the City. I confirmed that since I hadn't used all my slides on Saturday I could use my wristband on Sunday and quickly changed into my swimsuit and headed downtown. What a difference a day made! The lines were incredibly short and I was able to slide three times in about 30 minutes. I went down the middle slide which Lauren had determined the day before had more water on it and made it to the bottom all three times without getting stuck or needing help. It was so much fun!

I'm so glad I went back on Sunday to finish out my slides. It made the $25 spent totally worth it and redeemed my experience from Saturday. I'm so glad Huntsville is bringing events like this to the city. People seem to enjoy these types of events and everyone seems to be having so much fun! Huntsville is such a fun place to work and play and I'm glad to call it home! 

All photos below except the last one courtesy of Anna. 

Sunday Night Appetizers with Tyler

On most Sunday nights, I eat dinner with my cousins. There are anywhere from eight to 12 of us there each week and Sunday nights have recently become one of my favorite nights of the week. I used to hate Sunday nights because it meant dreading the week ahead; however, since I've been joining my cousins for dinner, Sunday nights are full of laughter, love and always a fun time which makes the end of the weekend much more bearable. 

This past Sunday night Tyler decided to make an appetizer before dinner. Apparently he had seen a you tube video on pizza cones and wanted to give it a try. By the time I arrived, he was pulling the cone portion of the pizza cone out of the oven. He had made a cone out of aluminum foil and then taken canned Pilsbury pizza dough and formed it around the aluminum cones. He then placed the open end of the cone around the bottom of a muffin pan and baked them. So, it was literally a cone of baked pizza dough and it had me intrigued. 

Once the cones cooled, Tyler and Jon Mark stuffed the cones with pizza sauce, pepperoni, cheese and bacon. The stood the cones up in oven safe mugs and baked them a while longer until the cheeses melted and the sauce was warm. We all gave the pizza cones a try and admittedly they were quite good. I think we were all a little surprised and impressed. 

There are a few more steps to the pizza cone making process than I outlined here. So, if you want to watch the video, which is less than two minutes I might add, check it out below. Happy pizza cine making!

Twas The Fourth of July

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July! Mine was interesting, a little different than normal, but still a lot of fun. I, along with most every other American, was thrilled to have Friday off from work; although, admittedly, it was confusing at times because Friday night I kept thinking that church was the next day. Friday morning I had an appointment to get the oil changed in the car and the tires rotated and just about the time I got ready to leave, the bottom fell out of the sky. I had planned on walking to the YMCA to get a workout in while my car was being worked on, but the buckets of rain kept me tucked safely and dryly inside the Goodyear. 

When the car was finished, I drove over to my parents' house and made a quick trip to Wal-Mart with my dad and then he cooked pancakes and then we began the arduous task of cleaning out the attic. We decided it would be best if we went to Lowe's to buy plywood to nail down to give the attic more room and so we could maybe move a few things around and actually get some work done. We got two strips of plywood down and moved some of Justin's things to that corner, threw some things away and set some things aside for the yard sale this fall and then my dad said we were done for the day. He said we got a lot more accomplished than he thought we would, whereas I was disappointed in how little we accomplished. The telling of two minds I suppose. The rest of Friday was spent being lazy and doing not much other than a few loads of laundry. 

Saturday morning I was up bright and early as the Tour de France got underway. I made my traditional French toast and enjoyed watching the time trial and just generally speaking enjoyed a relaxed morning. I made a cake and coleslaw for the cookout later that day and cooked some meat for my dad who was having a cookout as well. Justin stopped by that afternoon to pick up the meat that I had cooked and in the process dropped almost the whole pan of meat drippings all over my front porch. So, it probably goes without saying that I spent the next 30 minutes or so cleaning up greasy meat juice off my front porch. It wasn't exactly how I planned on spending some of the holiday, but those are the breaks. 

Once the meat juice was all cleaned up, I showered and headed over to the cookout which was being held at the brother of my cousin Jan's. Jan and I are cousins by marriage so her brother is not my cousin if that makes sense. All of the cousins that are my age were there and had set up games of slip and slide, volleyball, wiffle ball, corn hole, etc. I, however, was not provided the memo that there would be intense physical activity and didn't really come prepared to play. rest assured, I will be prepared for next year as I've already ordered a t-shirt for the occasion and will come ready to play. 

We had lots of food and there were lots of people there, most of whom we didn't even know. We all laughed because there was a "Family" side and a "We Don't Know Those People" side. As luck would have it, the skies opened up once again about the time it got dark and so the fireworks show was put into a predicament of sorts. We waited for the rain to pass, but it wouldn't let up and so the guys went out in the rain to shoot the fireworks. The problem was that the trees were clocking the view. Had it not been rained, we would have been able to stand where we could see, but as we were all crammed under the carport, we had to look at the fireworks between tree branches. There were also long breaks between each shot and I eventually got tired of sitting around waiting for the next one and decided to pack things up and head on home. 

Overall, it was a fun afternoon and evening and I look forward to next year's festivities where I will come prepared to play! 

The only picture I took - of G and his light saber fire sword!

Cruising on the Tennessee River

I'm quite sure I've mentioned at one time or another that I participate in a Bible study with a great group of girlfriends from my Bible school class. We typically get together every other Monday night and have a time of study, fellowship and prayer. We decided to take the summer off from our in-depth studies in an effort to have more time together to get to know one another better in a more casual setting which works out great since a lot of people travel or have other things going on during the summer months. 

The family of one of the girls in our class (Julie) has a yacht, or a large boat, or a large vessel (however you want to term it) and early last month, we were supposed to get together for a sunset cruise on the Tennessee River. However, the weather didn't really participate with us and the cruise was cancelled at the last minute. We were all really bummed about the cancellation, especially my dad who was coming along with us to keep Julie's dad company. 

This past Monday night, the weather held up and we finally were able to go out on the yacht. I took a group of five (including myself) over to the Marina and a few others met us there. Julie and her family and some family friends also joined us, in all we had about 15 people and one dog (not Pippa). We left the boat slip about 7:00 p.m. and cruised along the river on what was basically a perfect evening. The weather wasn't too hot, there was no humidity in the air and the breeze from riding on a boat was fantastic. We enjoyed some snack foods that everyone brought and had a short devotional and prayer and just had a really great evening enjoying each other's company and relaxing on the river together. As far as Monday nights go, this one was top notch! Everyone had a great time and I think we all wished we could spend every Monday night on the yacht! 

In other news, it's July 1 and we are officially halfway through 2015! Seriously, where does the time go? 

Agape Night At My Spirited Art

This past Monday night My Spirited Art hosted a benefit night for Agape of North Alabama. For those of you who may not be familiar with My Spirited Art, it's a studio here in Huntsville where you can go and paint a picture in about two hours for around $35. It's a great idea for a girls night out and they also do kids birthday parties and summer camps and all kinds of fun things. I have had this on my to-do list forever but have never taken the time to actually go and do it. So, when I found out that Agape was having a benefit paint night, I knew I would finally buckle down and go. 

The girls at the Agape office were having a hard time deciding what painting to chose for our class and they let me pick a few that I liked and then they chose from those (board member perk, I guess we'll call it). As luck would have it, they chose the one I liked the most out of the three I picked. It was called, "Redbuds in Bloom". I signed up the first day we possibly could and let others know about the night. We were hoping to sell out the night because the more people we had to participate, the more money Agape would get. 

The class started at 6:30 p.m. and was relatively full. I never got a final count, but I know there were 25 people signed up early in the day on Monday and we had some walk-ins as well (including my dad) and so I'd venture to say there were about 30 people there. Agape ended up earning 30% of the profits from the night and came away with about $315 which was such a fun way for our organization to receive a donation. 

We spent the next two hours or so painting. After the first hour, we got a short break so our canvases could dry a little before we put more paint on them. During the break some folks got an ice cream or a snack from the local vendors in the shopping center. We reconvened at 7:45 p.m. and finished up our paintings. It was so interesting to see how each painting turned out. We all received the same instruction, but each painting was so unique to the individual painting it. My dad, for example, wanted red leaves instead of pink and purple; other people made a large walkway between their trees; some trees were skinny and others were thick - such variety from our little group. 

This was such a fun night! A lot of the girls from my Bible study were there as well as a lot of people I didn't know and one person who came just because she liked the painting we picked! I had a blast and I think everyone else did too. I look forward to going again soon!

My dad and my friend Lauren

My painting about midway through 

Our instructor, Brandi 

My finished painting

My dad working hard

My dad's finished painting

My dad and Lauren with their finished works of art. 

Kicking Off The Birthday Weekend

This past Sunday was my 38th birthday and I kicked off the big weekend with a great group of friends at Shakalaka and we partied like a bunch of 12-year-olds. In case you are not familiar with it, Shakalaka is an indoor trampoline arena here in Huntsville. It opened up last year some time and I have wanted to go ever since but never have had an opportunity. So, I decided to gather up some of my favorite people and jump around to celebrate my birthday and I'm so glad I did.

I decided on the 6-7 p.m. time frame on Friday and sent out an email to everyone letting them know the time and also that the web site suggested to buy your tickets in advance. All of us did except for one person, who waited until the night before to go online and purchase her ticket only to find out that our time frame was sold out. So, sadly, she didn't get to join us for trampoline time, but she met up with us for dinner. Another friend wasn't on the email, but I had mentioned it to her at church. Unfortunately, I didn't have her phone number or email and so had no way of getting in touch with her to let her know it was sold out so she came and then couldn't get in. So, she left and went to have dinner with her parents. We did exchange numbers though so as not to have any issue in the future.

The nine  of us who had tickets to jump had a big time. We jumped on the trampolines, we flew off the flying trapeze into a pit of foam, we jumped into a pit of foam, we jumped on trampolines to play basketball, we walked a tightrope above another foam pit, we jumped on more trampolines, and we played dodgeball against innocent children. In fact, we probably got a little too much satisfaction out of hitting children with balls. Our hour went by quickly but we were all beyond tired when it was over with. I got some of the best sleep I've had in a long while that night.

After our time at Shakalaka, we went to Steak 'N Shake for dinner which apparently is one of the most popular places in town because the joint was packed and we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table. Oddly enough, Macaroni Grill which is almost next door was more or less empty which is so bizarre because when I waited tables there 100 years ago the place was packed all the time.

We finally got seated but had to split up because there wasn't a spot big enough for all of us to sit together. We all had a good time and as far as I know everyone enjoyed their food. Some of the girls got milkshakes to take home to their husbands which was really nice of them.

It was such a fun evening and I'm so blessed and thankful to have these great women in my life as my dearest friends. I hope we get to celebrate a lot more birthdays together.

Downton Abbey Screening

I feel like I'm way behind on posting because last week was completely insane for me; but once again I say better late than never.

So, last Tuesday, I met up with some of my favorite gal pals at the US Space and Rocket Center for an early screening of the first episode of season five of Downton Abbey. Yes, that's right, old world met new world right here in Huntsville. You may be wondering why the Space and Rocket Center was hosting such an event. Well, as a Smithsonian museum, the Space and Rocket Center feels a duty to share historical information and films, etc. and decided to preview this episode in conjunction with Alabama Public Television.

I found out about the event through a co-worker who knew of my love of dressing up as the Dowager Countess. She had heard about it on the radio and sent me the information. Not only was it a screening, ,but period attire was encouraged and so I knew I would once again bring out my costume. May as well get some wear out of it more than just at Halloween. Leah was kind enough to go by and pick up tickets for our group. The screening was free, but tickets were required and the event was "sold out".

We decided to go to the 6:00 p.m. screening and so I took my costume to work and changed before I left. As you can probably imagine, I got a few interesting looks as I walked out the door looking like I just stepped out of the early 20th century. We met up about 30 minuted before the screening so we could get good seats. There were eight people in our group and three of us dressed up - me, Candy and Leah. In all, I would say about 1/3 of the people in attendance dressed up, including quite a few gentlemen who donned tuxedos and looked quite dapper.

The episode was so wonderful and I was sad when it ended. I'm so looking forward to the new season. After the viewing, tea and scones were served but we skipped out because Erika had prepared luncheon for us at her house. Me, Candy, Leah and Amber went over to Erika's and enjoyed chicken salad, strawberry pretzel salad, cheese and crackers, and fruit. We enjoyed visiting with each other but didn't linger long as the night was already getting late.

It was such a fun evening and I think we are all grateful to the US Space and Rocket Center and Alabama Public Television for hosting this event. I look forward to attending more events like this in the future and I think my friends would agree.

Even More Christmas-ing

I suppose you could say that my Christmas celebrating is now in full swing after this past weekend. In addition to Friday night's party and Saturday's parade, I did more Christmas celebrating on Sunday and Monday. 

Sunday night I had Christmas for my ninth grade Huddles group. I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it, but I am a ninth grade sponsor at my church and the program is called Huddles. Basically I serve as a mentor and friend to the kids in the group and am there to provide them support, advise, whatever they need. It's proven to be a little more difficult than I thought it would be because man am I ever so out of touch with the teenage generation. With time, though, I hope to grow closer to these kids and get to know them better, it's just taking longer than I expected to break the ice. 

At any rate, we had out Christmas party on Sunday night and it was at the home of one of the youth ministers. I missed church that morning because I am feeling terrible again and was basically miserable and wanted to go to the doctor (which unfortunately didn't open until noon). So, despite feeling terrible, I managed to pull myself up by the bootstraps and make it to Huddles which was an accomplishment in and of itself. Yes, I wore the Christmas tutu again because I thought the kids would think it was funny and I also wore and ugly Christmas sweater as it was encouraged. Sadly, none of the kids wore Christmas attire, but I was saved by two other Huddle leaders who also dressed up in goofy clothes. 

We had a yummy meal and then played a game of Dirty Santa, once again using gifts from our home. This time around, I brought a card game that had never been opened and was laying around the house and I came home with a "Whimsy Alarm Clock" which was a purple cat. I can assure you this gift will be recycled at some point, maybe soon. The evening ended around 6:45 p.m. and I made a very brief stop by Publix before going home and going straight to bed. 

Monday night was our last women's Bible study of the year, and y'all, after a whole year of studying the book of Ruth, I can finally say "it is finished." Although we each enjoyed the study, I think we are all glad to move on to a new study in January and hopefully the next one won't last the whole year. The night was hosted by The Rieders and the men's group came as well and we had a Christmas potluck if you will. As is often the case at church gatherings, the food was good and so was the fellowship. After we ate, we split off into separate rooms and conducted our studies, wrapped up things a little before 9:00 p.m. and called it a night. I have enjoyed these nights with the girls as it has allowed me not only time to learn more about the Bible, but has also helped me develop closer friendships with these women and I'm so thankful for each of them,

Y'all this is just the beginning of December and it has already been so busy! I have something on the calendar pretty much every day and night from now until my surgery next week. So, there should be lots to write about provided I find a few minutes each day to sit down and start typing. If your month is anything like mine then you are running round crazy as well and I wish you luck and fun in your journeys!

Another State Championship and Expired Diet Coke

Last Thursday morning about 6:30 a.m., my dad and I jumped in the car for what was my final road trip of 2014. We headed south to Auburn for yet another Madison Academy state championship game in football.On a side note, my first and last road trips of 2014 would be to football games. Go figure.

As luck would have it, we didn't time things too well for rush hour traffic and hit it in Birmingham on the way down. Once we were through Birmingham, we stopped and grabbed some breakfast at a Jack's which I must say have a much lighter and flakier biscuit than Hardee's.

We made it to Auburn some time after 10:00 a.m. and found the parking lot where the Super 7 folks were supposed to park and quickly made our way to the shuttle. We were dropped off at the stadium and I had already purchased our tickets so we went straight in and found a seat. The sun was beaming down on us and it was hot as blazes. My dad wanted to move to the opponent's side because they were in the shade, but I looked up and noticed some smart people were sitting under the overhang, which put them out of the direct sunlight and so we moved up there. We were also blessed by a breeze and so things were looking up.

The game started at 11:00 a.m. and the Mustangs were quickly up 14-0. I can't even remember what the score was at the half, but MA was still up by two touchdowns and we were not really concerned about the outcome. We visited the concession stand at the half and please let this blog post serve as a reminder to me to never ever again buy a Diet Coke from an Auburn concession stand. On the way down (yes, this is how my Diet Coke loving brain works), I remembered that I had a bad experience with purchasing soda the last time we were in Auburn for the state championship. The experience was so bad that I thought they sold Pepsi products. However, after this year's half time experience, it all came rushing back to me. I ordered a Diet Coke and a popcorn. The Diet Coke tasted horrible and they poured me another and it still tasted bad so I asked for my money back (which they gave me along with some attitude). Then I remembered that this same thing happened the last time - I had a bad tasting Diet Coke and ended up with water. At first I thought it was because I was drinking out of a Barner cup, but now I believe that the fountain soda had expired. So, I bought a bottled one, and had a feeling ti was expired too because it had a "Share a Diet Coke with" label on it and Coke hasn't made those labels since the summer. I tried to find the date but couldn't see it clearly because it was faded. Long story kind of short, I made it back to my seat, took one sip and knew it was expired. I finally found the date hidden beneath that fist sip and it had expired on October 27. So, I marched back down the stars, and traded it for a water. Let this be a lesson learned. Y'all, I'm serious about my Diet Coke!

The second half was a runaway and the Mustangs ended up winning by a score of 70-34. When it was 67-34 my dad said he was ready when I was, which I thought was crazy, After driving all the way there, I wasn't about to leave until the trophy was handed out. So, we stayed.

When the game was over and the trophies passed out, we made our way to the shuttle line which was ginormous. We waited about 10-15 minutes and not one shuttle had come and there were three lines of people and tons of people in front of us in each line. I didn't think the parking lot was too far away and thanks to my good sense of direction remembered how to go. So, we decided to walk. It took us about 20-25 minutes to get to the car and I think both of us had screaming knees when all was said and done.However, it was a much better plan than waiting for an hour or so. No pain, no gain I guess.

We headed north to Birmingham and stopped off at  my favorite, The Fish Market on the way home, although this time we stopped at the one on 280 rather than the one downtown. After dinner, we began the rest of the journey home, once again hitting the rush hour traffic on 280, which makes me even more thankful for my commute. We finally made it home a little after 7:00 p.m. both tired from the journey but with another state championship! Congrats to the Mustangs!

Family Outing at the Botanical Gardens

This past Monday, I had made plans with my parents and my mother's caregiver Ada to go to the Huntsville Botanical Gardens to see the Scarecrow Trail. I had recently won some passes and wanted to take advantage of them while the Scarecrow Trail was up. The plan was to meet there at 5:00 p.m. and take in as much of the garden as possible before dark. 

As luck would have it, there was a wreck on the Parkway around 11:15 a.m. and it knocked out the power in the area of town where I work, including our building. After an hour or so of sitting around in the dark, upper management made the decision to send us all home because even after power is restored to the building, it takes another two hours for it to be fully restored and operational. So, we were sent home and even paid for the day which was very nice! I called my parents to see if they could meet at the garden sooner than 5:00 p.m. since I had the afternoon free. They could and we met up a little before 3:00 p.m. to tour the gardens. This ended up being a blessing in surprise because beginning in October, the garden actually closes at 5:00 p.m. so we wouldn't have been able to take our tour if we had kept our original plans. 

Oddly enough, none of us had ever toured the gardens before. We had all been there for at least one wedding and during the Galaxy of Lights, but as far as actually getting out and strolling around and taking it all in, none of us had done that before. The Botanical Garden is very nice and very spacious. I honestly had no idea how large it was. My dad was very impressed. He loves flowers and landscaping and kept saying over and over how nice it was and he even ranked it the second best Botanical Garden -second only to the garden in Victoria, British Columbia. 

The Scarecrow Trail was not as impressive as I had hoped but some of the characters were well done and comical. It started raining when we were on the far side of the garden, so mother headed back to the main building to take cover. My dad and I ventured over to the butterfly house before leaving and I think that was my favorite part. We spent some time there before heading back to the main building and the car. The nice people at the garden gave us passes to come back on another day since we got rained out and didn't get to spend as much time at the garden as we would have liked. That was incredibly nice of them.

After the trip to the garden, we stopped at Captain D's for an early and probably not very nutritious dinner, but it was still good. It was a successful and fun afternoon thanks to the power going out at work. If you live in or are visiting the Huntsville area, be sure to check out the Huntsville Botanical Garden. It makes for a very nice outing any day of the week! 

The Color Run - Huntsville - 2014

I mentioned in yesterday's post that I did The Color Run on Saturday morning and so, I am here to tell you all about it.

I have wanted to do a Color Run for quite a while and almost signed up for one in Nashville last year, but it was on a Sunday and just didn't work with my schedule. So, when I found out from a co-worker that The Color Run was FINALLY coming to Huntsville, I signed up the first day that entries were taken. I was looking so froward to it. The Color Run is nicknamed "The Happiest 5K on the Planet" and it it not a timed race so you can, walk, skip, hop or run, whatever strikes your fancy. The point of it all is to get people moving and have fun! Throughout the race, there are color stations where people will toss corn starched color on you and by the end of the race, the point is to be covered in color.

The start line opened at 9:00 a.m. and I arrived downtown about 8:30 or so. I left my phone in the car because the information sheet said that the color could get in your phone and if you were to bring your phone, put it in a plastic baggie. I wish I had brought it to take some pre-race photos and then bagged it up for the race; but, alas, I left it in the car the whole time.

After a quick bathroom break at Publix (thanks, Publix!) I made my way to the start line, but not before taking in the crowds and all the crazy people out and about. Most everyone was wearing white so that their color would show up once the race was over, but a lot of people also had crazy colored wigs or tutus or socks to accompany their outfits. I did not. I thought about wearing my pink tutu, but then decided against it because I didn't want to get color all over it.

Since I had never done one of these runs before, I really didn't know what to expect. So, I was taken off guard when I realized that not everyone starts at the same time. The let a few hundred or so people go and then hold the line for another five minutes or so. I am guessing this is so there won't be a backlog at the color stations. I had forgotten to eat that morning and so I was really hungry and wishing 1,000 times over that I had remembered to grab a granola bar and also praying I wouldn't pass out from low blood sugar and also wishing that my group would get to the start line quickly.

I don't know what time I made it across the start line but it had to be 9:30 or 9:45. I was so glad to finally be on my way. The way they do it makes sense thought because y'all, there were so many people. I'm quite sure there were more people at this race than the Liz Hurley Race and there are 5,000 or so at that race. There were people who clearly never do any sort of races and there were plenty of people walking. The craziest thing of all was that despite there being so many people there I did not see one person I knew which is nuts because I typically always run into one or two people who I know.

The race was fun. I know it would have been a lot more fun if I had been doing it with a group of friends and also if I had been feeling better. I almost didn't go that morning because of how bad I felt, but powered through and I'm glad I did. I know one thing, I need to add some more cardio to my routine. I get plenty of strength conditioning with JD the PT, but I have got to get back to walking more because I was so ready for those three miles to be over. The color stations were great, although there was a backlog of people at each color station so you had to wait your turn to go though and get "splashed". The poor people who were throwing color on people were covered head to toe in color. I felt so bad for them.

When I got home, I sprayed my shirt with vinegar and ironed it which is what you were supposed to do to keep the color on it. Sadly, after I washed it, all the color came out. I was hoping the color would stay in; but I guess I will be able to wear that shirt for the next Color Run.

Long story short, I'm really glad I did the race and if it comes to Huntsville again, I will definitely do it again. Although, I will probably try to recruit some friends to join me so it will be that much more fun. If The Color Run comes to your area, be sure and sign up. You'll be glad you did.

Redbook L'Oreal House Party

Recently, I was selected to host a House Party for Redbook and L'Oreal. The party was this past Monday night, and nine of my favorite friends were in attendance for a night of food, fun and laughter. 

The party started at 6:00 p.m. and we kicked things off with, what else, food. I cooked a plethora of snack foods including a cheese ball, chicken ball, spinach dip, tea cakes and other goodies. The food was good if I do say so myself and I think everyone enjoyed it. 

During the party, two brave souls sampled the L'Oreal Revitalift Miracle Blur Instant Eye Smoother. Erika and Leah agreed to let me take before and after pictures of their eyes. Sadly, I didn't get an after photo of Leah. I did, however, give the product a try myself the next night and have posted a before and after of me and Erika here. I'm not sure if you can tell or not, but the product works well. I even had some people text me the next day saying they tried it at home and that it worked and they liked it. 

During the party we all also received a full sized lip balm as well as more samples from L'Oreal which included shampoo and conditioner, and Revitalift Miracle Blur for the face. One of the best things we all received was a free one-year subscription to Redbook. I also sent the girls home with cards to give a friend for a subscription. Since I had a few cards left over, I also sent a subscription to my mom and my Aunt Linda. I think everyone will really enjoy the magazine. 

I actually have two free subscriptions left to pass out. So, if you are interested in a free one-year Redbook subscription, leave a comment and let me know and I'll see about sending one your way. If I get more than two comments requesting a subscription, I'll use random,org, otherwise, I'll contact you to get your mailing information. 

The Redbook L'Oreal House Party was a super fun night for me and my friends. A big thanks to all the sponsors, House Party, Redbook and L'Oreal for providing us with a fun excuse to get together and have some fun!